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April 14 • Volume 36, No. 24
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Beacon Hill’s golden girl gets hero’s welcome By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star
Isabelle Weidemann gets a group hug from some old friends from the neighbourhood during her homecoming celebration at Colonel By Secondary School on April 9. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO
It was a magical homecoming for Beacon Hill native and triple Olympic medalist Isabelle Weidemann last Saturday, as over 100 people gathered in front of Colonel By Secondary School to celebrate Isabelle Weidemann Day in Ottawa. Isabelle attended Colonel By Secondary School while growing up in Beacon Hill. During that time she was also a member of the Gloucester Concordes Speed Skating Club where she developed a love for the sport that would carry her to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and a trio of medals. She won a silver medal in the women’s 5000-metres, a bronze medal in the 3000 metres and a gold medal in the women’s team
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
At you for r s 33 ervi yea ce rs!
Jocelyne Lauzon
pursuit along with fellow Gloucester Concorde and Orléans native Ivanie Blondin. Only two other Canadians have won more than two medals at a Winter Olympics – Cindy Klassen won six medals Turin, Italy, in 2006 and Gaéten Boucher won three medals in Sarajevo in 1986. For her accomplishment, Isabelle was given the honour of carrying the Canadian flag in the closing ceremonies. One of the people in attendance at Saturday’s homecoming was Isabelle’s former coach and Gloucester Concordes founding president Sandra Chenard who couldn’t be more proud of her former student. “I’m proud of all of our Olympians,” said Chenard referring to Weidemann, Blondin and
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A local fundraising effort to raise money for the Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Fund was a huge success with over 675 dozen perogies and more than 500 cups of borscht selling out in less then two hours. The event took place on Monday, April 4, at the Soul Stone restaurant on St. Joseph Blvd. It was organized by local residents Jay and Natalie Sanko with assistance from area chapters of the Knights of Columbus. Natalie Sanko, who is Ukrainian, cooked the borscht herself. They were joined by all four east end councilors and Mayor Jim Watson. PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHERINE KITTS
Easter weekend schedule changes
OTTAWA – The following scheduled changes will be in effect during Easter weekend. There will be no curbside green bin, recycling, garbage or bulky item collection on Friday, April 15 and Monday, April 18. Friday’s pick-up will take place on Saturday, April 16. In addition, the collection will be delayed the following week by one day for the remainder of the week. OC Transpo bus service will operate on a Sunday schedule on Friday, April 15, and on a reduced weekday schedule on Monday, April 18. Pools, arenas and recreation and fitness centres will operate on modified schedules. Please check with the facility directly for details. All Ottawa Public Library branches will be closed on Friday, April 15, Sunday April 17 and Monday, April 18.
Fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine now available for people 60 and over
OTTAWA – Individuals aged 60 and older are now eligible to book a fourth dose (booster) appointment if the recommended interval of five months (140 days) has passed since their third dose. First Nation, Inuit and Métis individuals and their household members aged 18 and over are also eligible. The goal of this expanded eligibility is to provide individuals at higher-risk of illness from COVID-19 with an extra layer of protection. Individuals who meet the eligibility criteria can book their fourth dose through the COVID-19 vaccination portal, by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900, or by checking local pharmacies to find locations that provide fourth doses near you. Residents are encouraged to make an appointment as drop-in availability will be limited at community vaccine clinics. Some primary care physicians are also providing booster doses.
2 • April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24
Isabelle Weidemann holds up her silver medal as a young fan wears her bronze medal. The young girl on the right is wearing her gold medal. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO
Friends, family turn out to mark Isabelle Weidemann Day Continued from page 1 Vincent de Haître who competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in speed skating and the 2021 Summer Olympics in cycling. When Isabelle arrived, she was mobbed by several dozen young children who had been waiting to get her autograph and have their picture taken with her. Canada’s newest Olympic hero did one better by letting them wear her medals. It’s been nearly 10 years since the 26year-old last visited her old high school. After graduating, she moved to Calgary with her parents and two siblings to be closer to the long track speed skating training centre and the Olympic Oval. Her brother Jake and younger sister Lily are both speed skaters as well. Among the folks who turned out to greet Isabelle were high school friends Kate McLeod and Crystal Tierney. All three girls used to spend their lunch hour at the Weidemann residence which backed on to the Colonel By sports field. There were a number of other familiar faces in the crowd as well. “It’s just so cool,” beamed Isabelle, who couldn’t stop smiling during the hour-long event. “It’s so nice. This is where I grew up and I still have friends and family who live here and have been cheering me on my entire career.” Isabelle made sure to spend a moment with everyone who approached her,
especially the kids. “It’s so crazy because I was them not that long ago,” explained Isabelle. “Even four years ago when I was on the Olympic team, I was the young gung-ho kid that was following all the stars around. I still feel like that sometimes. I’m just so excited to be able to share this with everyone.” One of Isabelle’s biggest fans is Beacon Hill, Cyrville Ward councillor Tim Tierney who organized the event and presented Isabelle with a framed citation signed by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson proclaiming April 9 as Isabelle Weidemann Day. “To watch her go from not as tall as she is today to the powerhouse that she is for Team Canada and long track speed skating is unbelievable. You couldn’t have a better story,” said Tierney who has been friends with the Weidemanns for more than 20 years. And Isabelle’s story is far from over. She plans to compete at the 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina, Italy where she will no doubt add to her medal total. In the meantime, she can look forward to four more years of training while competing on the World Cup circuit and you can bet her fans will be following her every step – or stride – of the way. Who knows, maybe one of the kids who met Isabelle last Saturday and was able to wear one of her medals around their neck will win a medal of their own some day.
Sarsfield senior celebrates 103rd birthday with friends and family By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star When Lola Larmour was born, Europe was stilled gripped in the throes of WWI, a brand new Ford Model T cost $500 off the production line and the first commercial radio broadcast was still eight years away. On Thursday, March 31, Lola celebrated her 103rd birthday surrounded by family and friends at the Hervé Joly retirement residence in Sarsfield. It was the first time Lola was able to celebrate her birthday in the company of others since before the COVID pandemic began two weeks prior to her 101st birthday in 2020. The celebration was actually a surprise party. When Lola entered the room everyone broke out in a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday, which brought tears to her eyes. “It’s absolutely wonderful. What a nice surprise,” Lola said after taking a moment to compose herself. Born in 1918 in a two-storey home in Cheney, Lola, whose maiden name is Stephens, has spent her entire life in the Ottawa area. She first married in 1940 to Lytle Monahan. The couple had four children – Betty, Gordon, Judy and Ruth, all
of whom were home births. After Lytle passed away in 1947, Lola met and married her second husband, Howard Larmour in 1950, with whom she had a fifth child, Jane. The couple moved into a log home on Larmour Lane near Sarsfield where Lola continued to live until she moved into the Hervé Joly residence in 1989, five years after her second husband passed away. During most of her adult life Lola was an avid sewer and quilter, winning multiple red ribbons for her handiwork. While Lola is no longer able to use the stairs to get to and from her second floor room, something she was still doing well after her 100th birthday, she is still able to get around with the assistance of a walker and except for her restricted mobility is in general good health. The last two years have been especially difficult on seniors living in retirement homes and Lola has been no exception. She admits to going though periods of extreme loneliness and depression during the pandemic and in the past year she lost her only son, Gordon, and two of her son-in-laws. Asked what the secret has been to her own longevity, Lola answered with just one word, “God”.
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Lola Larmour, centre, is surrounded by family and friends to celebrate her 103rd birthday at the Hervé Joly residence in Sarsfield. STAFF PHOTOS “As long as God gives me the strength, I’m going to keep going,” she said when asked how many more birthdays she still has in her. As for any advice she might have for anyone else hoping to achieve her own milestones, Lola says that you need to keep
busy no matter what age you are. “You have to be willing to keep trying different things and do stuff. You just can’t sit around your room and watch TV all day.” That sounds like sage advice from someone who obviously knows what she’s talking about.
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April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24 • 3
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4 • April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24
LRT update: Work progressing well on east end light rail line STAR STAFF – Stage 2 of the LRT east extension has been making significant progress in the past few months with construction beginning on all five LRT stations as well as pedestrian bridges at Green’s Creek, Place d’Orléans and Trim Road. Some 240 metres of test track has also been installed west of Jeanne d’Arc Blvd. Installation of the actual rail line between the Montreal Road station and the Jeanne
CANADA
d’Arc station will begin next month. Meanwhile, work will continue on a drainage system in the LRT guideway west of Trim Road. This is a critical component of the electrical system that will provide power to the trains. All track work from Blair Road to Trim Road is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Work will also progress on all five LRT stations at Montreal Road, Jeanne d’Arc
Blvd., Orléans Blvd., Place d’Orléans Drive and Trim Road over the summer. Noise wall installation will continue this spring and sunner as crews complete two noise walls on the north side of Hwy. 174 between Bilberry Creek and the Orléans Park & Ride, and between Jeanne d’Arc Blvd.and Orléans Blvd. Weather permitting, the east end LRT extension will be completed by next summer
at which time a lengthy testing process will begin. In the meantime, the need for lane and ramp closures will be necessary as the work progresses. The City of Ottawa understands the inconvenience the intermittent closures have caused and continue to cause east end commuters and they respectfully ask for our continued patience. If all goes well, the east end LRT exten-sion will be commissioned for public use by the fall of 2024.
Marie-France LALONDE MP/Députée Orléans
!
YOU p l e h o t e r e H
Constituency Office 255 Centrum Blvd., 2nd floor Orléans, ON K1E 3W3 marie-france.lalonde@parl.gc.ca 613.834.1800 /LalondeMF
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Blair Road to Hwy 174 median rail bridge, November 2021
April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24 • 5
The tooth fairy Growing up in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, I was a big believer in the tooth fairy. A mystical, magical pixie who would come in the middle of the night and replace my newly dislodged tooth, which I had stealthily placed under my pillow, with a shiny new quarter. Then when I got older and had kids of my own, I would fill in for the tooth fairy and leave a loonie under their pillow every time they lost a bicuspid. Having twins made it a costly proposition, but not nearly as costly as their dental care, especially during those years when I was self-employed. I have always been a big proponent of having dental care for children covered for families who don’t have a private health care plan. As anyone with kids can attest, dental care can get pretty pricey. In my own case, I would often forego my own dental care for my children’s during those days when I was self-employed. And I wasn’t alone. There are thousands of parents in Ontario who must make the same sacrifices in order for their children to get proper dental care, and there are many other children who must go without because their parents just can’t afford it. But those days may finally be over thanks to the recently announced federal budget, which among other things, allocates $5.3 billion over the next five years and $1.7 billion on an annual basis for a national dental care program. Children under 12 will be covered this year, while those under 18, seniors and people with a disability will be covered starting in 2023. The program will be fully implemented by 2025. There is one caveat, however, the program will be restricted to families with an annual income of less than $90,000. Which sucks for those families with an annual income of $90,001. And as much as the Liberals will want to take credit for this long overdue program, the real credit must go to the NDP who made it a cornerstone of their supply and confidence deal with the Trudeau government. Who new that the tooth fairy is real and his name is Jagmeet Singh? The NDP/Liberal deal will also pave the way for a universal national pharmacare plan. Although there is no funding for a plan in the new budget, the Liberal government is fully committed to working with the NDP on a plan to be implemented by the end of 2023, starting with the tabling and passage of a Canada Pharmacare bill which will make prescriptions drugs less costly and more affordable. Along with the national dental program, that should come as great news for the estimated 500,000 Canadians and their families out there who aren’t covered by a health insurance plan. – Fred Sherwin, editor
Fredrick C. Sherwin, Editor & Publisher fsherwin@orleansstar.ca The Orléans Star is a bi-weekly publication distributed to 44,000 residences in Blackburn Hamlet, Orléans and Navan. The newspaper is locally owned and operated by Sherwin Publishing Inc., 745 Farmbrook Cres., Orléans, ON. Inquiries and delivery issues should be sent to info@orleansstar.ca.
6 • April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24
Provincial election a referendum on Ford’s upside-down policies With the rising costs of living, far too many Ontarians The Ford government does not have a plan to make are struggling to make ends meet. Ontario more affordable. They have announced lots Under the leadership of Doug Ford, despite his of gimmicks, but gimmicks do not help families with populist promises during the 2018 inflation and the runaway cost of election to cut gas taxes, lower Queen’s living. hydro bills and cut taxes for the In a province as wealthy and Park middle class by 20%, we have seen healthy as ours, no full-time worker the price of gas go up, the price of should struggle to make ends Corner hydro go up, the price of food go up, meet. The Ontario Liberal Plan for and the price of housing go up. Economic Dignity will provide Stephen Blais At the same time, we have immediate recovery for workers seen access to health care go down, access to OSAP today, and secure new, long-term portable benefits go down, progress on building the green economy go that let all workers save for a good retirement. It down, autism support services go down, and mental will help ensure seniors can live and grow old with health supports go down. dignity. Everything that should be up is down, and everything The jobs we create must be well-paid and allow for that should be down is up. work-life balance. Not just generate wealth, but see that This government’s upside-down priorities are having wealth spread to everyone. The people of Ontario have a negative impact on the quality of life for Ontarians. always been our greatest economic strength – so we The residents of Orléans expect their government to need to have their back. have a plan to make life more affordable, and to take Ontario Liberals will replace the minimum wage strong action to provide relief. with a living wage, ban unfair and underpaid gig and Whether it’s the cost of a new home, the cost to contract work, provide 10 paid sick days to all workers, turn on the lights or commute to work, or the cost of ensure every worker is covered by benefits, build to a groceries on Saturday morning, this government has no four-day work week, and support small businesses. plan to provide relief for middle class families. Whether It is time for real leadership, with a real plan for it’s the cost of home care, the lack of funding for ODSP Ontario families. or the cuts to public health, the government has no plans For more on our plan visit https://bit.ly/economic_ for those suffering the most. dignity
What a long, strange trip the last two years have been Time flies when you’re going through endless waves of the waning pandemic. At the end of the month-long truckers’ protest in late February, it feels like I took a short nap and woke up to the last snowbank melting, Easter chocolates prominently on display at the drug store, and every grocery and hardware store parking lot in Orléans with garden centres set up and opening this weekend! Red cedar mulch is already invading my dreams...but I digress. So, with nothing specific to write about, today’s column contains some random observations and gripes on how our community and life has changed since 2020. For starters, cannabis stores and dental practices have overtaken Starbucks and Tim Horton’s as the number one growth industry in Orléans. Every second strip mall has one, the other, or both. Following closely behind are a bunch of new pizza places and other restaurants. The food service business is tough with perishable inventory, persistent staffing challenges, tight profit margins, and as lockdowns and restrictions have shown us, outside shocks that can derail even the most profitable establishments. Now add on inflationary pressures which can impact menu
Walter Robinson Guest Column prices each month…a tip of the proverbial hat to these brave culinary entrepreneurs. If you want to get a sense of what’s new and getting great reviews, check out the Orléans Ontario Foodie group on Facebook. In just four short years, this group now boasts almost 12,000 members who create a buzz and discuss our local restaurant, food truck, and take-out scene. But be warned, this group is about food and restaurants and dining only, no politics, rants or conspiracy theories. Next up, garbage. As the snow has melted, we have the usual blight of garbage dotting the sides of major arterials and residential roads alike. However, on a recent drive from Blackburn Hamlet into Chapel Hill South, then through Bradley Estates and Trails Edge, traversing Mer Bleue and Tenth Line south of Innes into the sub-division that is
steroid-fueled Avalon then back down Trim past Cardinal Creek to Petrie Island through Chatelaine Village and Convent Glen, discarded masks are everywhere. Please take some time to clean up the hedges and curbs and boulevards in your area during a dedicated neighbourhood association effort or on your own with the kids this weekend or next. Let’s turn to space, personal space that is. One positive of the pandemic, for me anyway, is the physical distancing that was suggested/ imposed. Already in lines at the LCBO or Friday night take out I feel a bit cramped, especially with the COVID BA.2 variant (and the XE variant around the corner) raging through the population and mask-wearing now a personal choice. Please give some thought to a little more personal space for yourself and fellow citizens as a positive attribute of our next normal. Alright, now we get into the trivial but irksome observations: parking. Goodness gracious people, the lines at Place D’Orléans or your local outdoor mall are there for a reason, could you try and use them. And if you have a nice vehicle and are worried about the door bumps and scratches, by all means park further away from the door…
besides, the longer walk will help you get to the 10,000 daily steps goal on your Fitbit or Garmin tracker. If you can’t relate to any of the aforementioned grievances of daily life, I’m quite sure this next one will resonate with you: customer service waits. From credit cards to airlines to travel bookings to government call centres, if I hear “call volumes are higher than usual” one more time I’m going to lose it. And this is after trying the chat bots, FAQs, and help blogs to solve my issues. For heaven’s sake, call volumes have been higher than normal for two stinkin’ years, this is the next normal, time to staff those call centres – with many folks doing this from home – and, empower these front line agents to make decisions to resolve disputes/ scheduling/refund issues so we don’t have to ask to be elevated to someone’s manager. And yes, I’m pretty confident most of us have done this, many times. Okay, I feel better, awfully glad I got these things off my chest. Time for a quick cleanup of the high school hedges on the other side of the backyard fence and then to scroll through the comments on the Foodies page to see what’s new for takeout tonight. Be well everyone.
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Fresh off COVID, councillor Cumberland councillor launches is looking forward to the spring art contest for east end youth We’ll, neighbours, it happened. My family and I caught COVID. Despite being overly cautious and observing all the public health measures, the unwanted guest came to stay. I can tell you that my children faired much better than Laura and I. Although we are fully vaccinated, it hit us both hard. After two years managing to avoid the virus, I had developed a bit of naive hubris, like it was not going to happen to us. I suppose a little bit of humility was in order. But what a miserable time. While I felt like dying on the couch, my feverish, but otherwise energetic children didn’t miss a beat. It was the only consolation that they were resilient! Once we all tested negative again, it was so nice to enjoy our classic spring activities. Proulx Farms cabane à sucre, a trip to Parc Oméga, time outside together tidying the yard and just getting out to enjoy the fresh air.
We have a lot of incredible green space here in the ward. Over the spring, we will be running the Cleaning the Capital Program once again. If you are interested in registering a team and tidying up your local park, we’ll make sure you have all the supplies, and I might even swing by with some coffee and treats to thank you! Spring often means a return to dog parks. Please make sure to check the designation of your park before bringing your pup. Some are on-leash, some are off-leash and others, like Petrie Island, prohibit all domestic animals. Please be respectful of public space and those you share it with! Speaking of getting out, we will be purchasing another round of tick keys to help prevent Lyme Disease in our community. Keep your eyes peeled to my social media for when we’ll be handing them out. As always, my team and I are always ready to serve you. Reach out any time if we can help. Until next time, stay safe!
Spring into
Retirement Living
Calling all Cumberland Ward KIDS. I featured on my wall and invited to City Hall need your help decorating my office! for a tour. At the most recent city council meeting, Here are the rules: 18 months after getting - One submission per elected, I was finally able person. to take my seat at the table - Write your name, age *in-person*. As my team and contact info on the and I begin to make use back of your piece. of our City Hall office, my Physical artwork walls need some love. can be dropped off at Cumberland Ward 19 I’ve put the call out to the front desk at the our talented youth to send in your artwork François Dupuis Recreation Centre (2263 depicting your favourite Cumberland Ward Portobello Blvd). spot. Maybe it’s your favourite park? - Digital renditions can be emailed to Favourite tree? Favourite store? catherine.kitts@ottawa.ca. I’ll be running this contest through the Looking forward to seeing your works of month of April, and selected winners will be art!
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• A variety of activities and events to keep our residents healthy, happy, and connected Space is limited call Liette at 613-907-9200 to reserve your in-person tour at this event.
Located in your neighbourhood at 1980 Trim Road in Orléans. Across the street from Sobeys at the corner of Trim & Innes.
WillowbendRetirement.com 8 • April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24
Catherine Kitts
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New Mexico inspired, holistic spa and wellness centre STAR STAFF – For the past 16 years, Ezcape Spa and Wellness have been providing their clients with the very best in esthetic spa treatments and massage for both men and women. More recently they have added a number of services aimed at taking a more holistic approach to their clients’ overall wellness including Acupuncture, Reflexology, Cupping, Holistic Nutrition, Cosmetic Health, Registered Massage Therapy and Clinical Psychology. Here is a description of just a few of the services they can provide... Reflexology Reflexology is a natural therapeutic method based on the principle that there are reflexes in the body that map to other parts, glands and organs of the body. By applying pressure using specific hand and finger techniques to these reflexes, reflexology therapy can: relieve tension within the body; restore and maintain the body’s natural balance; improve blood circulation in the body such as hands and feet; and support the body’s effort to function optimally.
Helen Nowakowski is a certified reflexologist for feet, hands and face and is a member of the Reflexology Association of Canada. She also holds a diploma for Indian Head Massage & Massage Therapy. Holistic Nutrition Susan Alsembach is Ezcape Spa and Wellness’s resident nutritionist. As a nurse and RHN, she is able to discuss, evaluate and assess her your nutritional status in consideration of any other health issues that you may currently be experiencing and recommend a properly managed diet. A properly managed diet can often help alleviate many health issues such as high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes and weight management problems. Cosmetic Health Ezcape Spa and Wellness has a Beauty Cosmetic Injectors Clinic that is operated by Gessica and Hong who have a combined 25 years of nursing experience. One of the services they provide are Botox injections. Although they are often associated as being purely used for cosmetic purposes, they can also be
HEALING FROM THE INSIDE OUT
At Ezcape Spa & Wellness, we’re passionate about helping clients achieve optimal physical, mental and emotional health.
administered to help treat headaches, teeth clenching/grinding and hyperhidrosis (excessive sweat). With spring in the air, Gessica and Hong are also proud to offer IV therapy which can help boost your immune system and reboot and rehydrate your body after a long cold winter. They are currently offering 15 per cent off your first treatment which can also be combined with many other services at Ezcape Spa & Wellness.
Susan Alsembach Holistic Nutritionist
Registered Social Worker Ezcape Spa & Wellness also has a Registered Social Worker on the team. Claudine Smith, BSW specializes in family dynamics, parenting and teen counselling. She can also help you navigate the social constructs such as child assessments, and creating links with your child’s school, as well as support for elderly parents. For more information about the services Ezcape Spa and Wellness can provide, visit ezcapespa.com or call 613-841-8400.
Claudine Smith Registered Social Worker
Helen Nowakowski Reflexologist
Our services include: • Reflexology • Registered Massage Therapy • Registered Social Worker • Holistic Nutrition • Cosmetic Health We provide a relaxing, nurturing environment where you can unwind, explore options and make choices that have a positive impact in all areas of your life.
Gessica and Hong, Cosmetic Health
(613) 841-8400 • info@ezcapespa.com 900 Watters Road (at Trim), Orléans Mon-Fri: 9AM - 9PM • Sat: 9AM - 6PM • Sun: Closed April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24 • 9
NEIGHBOURHOOD
U P D A T E Spring is finally here! The trees are budding, and I can’t help but feel a sense of optimism moving into the warmer seasons. We’ve gotten our gardening started, and I’m excited to get my hands in the dirt with my girls!
I want to thank everyone who reached out to me when we were going through Covid last month. It was a very difficult time, but thankfully we are all recovering very well. I’m still feeling the fatigue, but I’m working to stay active to help get through it. I know that many of us have suffered throughout this pandemic in different ways, some of us caught it, some of us lost loved ones, some of us are still feeling the mental health impacts, and some of us lost business and work. We have worked hard to keep you up-to-date on everything happening in the neighbourhood and at the city, through our monthly videos, daily updates on social media, and novel approaches to getting you info, like our Turning The Tables series on Facebook and my website. We sincerely hope that everyone has benefitted from our frequent communication.
Out and about...
Supporting our veterans
SUPPORTING UKRAINE
Recently, I joined the mayor and Councillor King to show them the heartening work being done to transition and support homeless veterans at Veterans House. This supportive housing project, supported by multifaith housing initiative, is a massively successful pilot for the care of our veterans. I am actively supporting an expansion of this pilot, especially to care for women and veterans with families. If you’re interested in supporting this project or learning more, you can visit their website here: www.multifaithhousing.ca/ veterans-house.html
The loosening and dropping of public health restrictions has allowed us to get back out into the community. It was wonderful to be joined by my colleagues, the Sanko family, and the Knights of Columbus to raise funds for the Red Cross in support of Ukraine. Thank you to soul stone restaurant for hosting and helping to make this event a success. And thank you to everyone who came out to support, it was overwhelming to see!
SCHOOL OF ROCK CELEBRATION Councillor Dudas and I joined Andy and Rick to celebrate eight years of School of Rock in the Heart of Orléans. I’m so impressed with the great work of the instructors and students at this staple on St. Joseph Boulevard. As a local musician myself, I always look for ways to include these incredible students at our events. If you have children that are interested in music, please check them out. They even have programming for adults!
My work with the Ottawa Veterans Task Force continues in earnest. From housing, to second career, to health and well-being, we are having a major impact here in the nation’s capital. Shortly we will be hosting a symposium for family doctors on caring for veterans. This event will be at the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 632, right here in Orléans. Our health working group chair, Claude, and Co-Chair, André, have been organizing this event alongside the Ontario College of Physicians for months. I am so proud of the work that this incredible group of volunteers has been able to do over the past two years.
I also toured the Pearly Health Centre and checked in with our veterans in long-term care. They are building up capacity to become a centre of excellence in the care of our elderly and veterans. The programs in spaces in this building are phenomenal and you can see the joy in the faces of residents. I had a chance to stop in and chat with a few of the veterans that were working on projects in their studio. Staff and volunteers do such a wonderful and engaging job with our veterans right here in Ottawa. If you’re interested in learning more about the great work that they do, or wish to contribute, you can visit their website here: perleyhealthfoundation.ca
Keeping our people safe
Community safety continues to be a priority for me. Following its successful pilot project, the City of Ottawa expanded its Automated Speed Enforcement Program (ASE), I was able to secure the installation of a new speed camera on Tenth Line at Amiens across from Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School. Signage is in place advising that the camera is in use.
Share your events!
As part of my commitment to building our community, I have installed community bulletin boards in major parks in all community associations across the ward. I want to ensure that we use all the tools we have to stay connected and up-to-date. These bulletin boards have been transferred to the community associations for upkeep. If you are interested in posting about your event or something that you are involved with, please reach out to your neighbourhood community association. This is just another way to stay connected and I was happy to continue supporting our community associations with this investment.
Final thoughts
As we near the end of this term, I want to thank you for all of your support in building our community, building our economy, and building support for those who serve. The work that we do here cannot be done without your support, and it means so much to us. We have done so much work together, improving our park spaces, improving our infrastructure including pathways and bridges, set major policy frameworks for bringing new business to Orléans, and so much more. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. We often used to complain that our little corner of the city did not get the attention that it deserves. I have been proud to build on the hard work of Bob Monette in taking Orléans to the next level. We are a beautiful community, and we are finally getting all of the attention that we deserve. And we have so much more work to do together.
Councillor, Ward 1 Orléans (613) 580-2471 // Matt.Luloff@ottawa.ca // www.MatthewLuloff.ca 10 • April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24
For the best in contemporary furniture, visit Moderne Maison (NC) – Moderne Maison is Ottawa’s newest home furniture store. With locations in Trenton and Brantford, the family-owned business recently opened a brand new showroom at 1060 Ogilvie Road, just east of St. Laurent Boulevard. At over 4,400 sq. ft., the large and bright furniture gallery is chock full of modern and contemporary sofas, sofa beds, sectionals, recliners, bedroom sets, coffee tables, accent mirrors and Ottomans suited for every style and budget, plus they offer free delivery on most items. The furniture is a mix of imported pieces and Canadian-made items and if you are unable to find exactly what you are looking for in the showroom, or you would like it in a different fabric or colour, they can often get it for you within a few weeks. In fact, most of the Canadian recliners, sofas and sectionals can be custom made to suit your choice of fabric and colour. The same is true for many of the Canadianmade bedroom sets and bed frames. The dressers and night stands can also be made to measure to fit any space.
And while many other furniture outlets are still suffering from lingering supply chain issues caused by the pandemic, Moderne Maison has no such problem. Moderne Maison is also well known for their competitive pricing, with many items up on sale for up to 75 per cent off. When buying a bedroom set, Moderne Maison can also provide you with a mattress from their wide selection of mattresses that include memory foam, box springs, inner spring and hybrids. And once again, they can suit any budget. Another area of expertise at Moderne Maison is home theatre seating. They have a variety of motorized recliners, sectionals, sofas and loveseats, available both fabric or leather, and designed to give you an Academy Award-winning home theatre experience. The Moderne Maison showroom is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. You can get a sneak preview of what they have to offer by visiting their website at modernemaison.ca.
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April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24 • 11
St-Laurent Academy Summer Programs! JK- Grade 8 and High School
Registrations NOW Open! St-Laurent Academy is pleased to be offering summer camp programs for Elementary Students JK– Grade 8 and High School Credit Courses for students Grade 9 – 12.
Elementary Summer Camp (JK – Grade 8) Dates: July 4 – August 19 Cost: $375 for full day/ per week Camps will focus on Multi-Sports, Interactive Games, Art Adventures, Cooperative Drama Activities and Dance with our team of amazing teachers and staff
High School Summer Credit Courses (Grade 9 – 12) Dates: July 4 – 29 Cost: $1500 for full day/ per course Continuing education throughout the summer is conducive to students retaining the learning skills and work habits that are required for success in secondary school and beyond.
Visit our website, www.St-LaurentAcademy.com, or contact admin@st-laurentacademy.com for more details and information. 641 Sladen Ave., Ottawa On K1K 2S8 613-842-8047 www.St-LaurentAcademy.com 12 • April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24
A Day in the Life at Willowbend Retirement Community in Orléans Special to the Orléans Star Ever wonder what life is like in a retirement community? Join us for a typical day at Willowbend, one of Riverstone’s nine locally-owned and operated locations in Ottawa. While every community is a bit different, you’ll get a taste of our full range of comforts and activities inspired by our unique communities. 1. Off to a great start First thing in the morning, you’ll awake in your elegantly appointed private suite and head to the light-filled dining room. Our staff will serve you a healthy and delicious meal of your choice. 2. Get moving After chatting with your neighbours, you may opt for some morning exercise like yoga, dance, or some light stretching. You’ll always find something you like because our activities are planned based on popularity and feedback from our residents. 3. Head outside Now you’re all warmed up for an outing. Go for a brisk walk in a nearby park with your walking group, or take a solo stroll around the on-site gardens and see what’s growing.
4. Fuel up Could it be lunchtime already? How about a gourmet panini and salad, or is it a hot soup kind of day? The choice is yours! 5. Take it easy T hat mid-day meal might have inspired a power nap to rejuvenate your mind and body. 6. Learn something new If you don’t end up curled up with a good book for the afternoon in the peace of your private climate-controlled suite, why not see what mind-stimulating pursuits people are up to in the activities room? Painting, bridge, learning to knit – or something completely new. 7. Dine in style As the afternoon turns into evening, join others for hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment, then sit down for a professionally prepared meal at the time that works best for you. Unable to travel? Our chefs will have you traveling the world through themed dinners. Tonight, you’re in Paris enjoying fine French cuisine. Tomorrow, you’ll be back in Canada with maple smoked salmon and baby potatoes.
8. Sit back and enjoy Evenings are for relaxing. You might be listening to a guest speaker’s presentation on their travels to Bolivia, watching a classic movie in the theatre, or singing your favourite songs around the piano. Or if it’s been a full day, maybe you’ll just enjoy a video call with family back in your warm comfortable suite. ******* Every day at Willowbend can be as simple or as exciting as you make it. Enjoy our engaging programming with the companionship of like-minded people in our vibrant community.
Choosing a retirement residence is a big decision. We’re here to help you and your family think through your potential future needs, whether Independent Living, Assisted Living or Memory Care. Join us on Saturday, April 30 from 10 am to 3pm for Riverstone’s Spring Open House. Come out and explore everything Retirement Living has to offer at Willowbend in Orléans. Space is limited so contact Liette at 613-907-9200 or email ljodouin@ riverstoneretirement.ca to book your personal tour at this event. Can’t make it? Contact Liette to book a private in-person tour at a time that’s convenient for you!
Join us Saturday, April 30th from 10am until 3pm for Riverstone’s Spring Open House and explore everything that Retirement Living at Willowbend in Orléans has to offer. RSVP by calling Liette.
• Full continuum of care: Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care SAT APRIL 30TH 10AM-3PM
• A variety of activities and events to keep our residents healthy, happy, and connected
Located at 1980 Trim Road in Orléans | 613-907-9200 | WillowbendRetirement.com April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24 • 13
U15 Gloucester Rangers hoping to finish season with another banner By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star It’s been a dream season for the U15 AA Gloucester Rangers, who were hoping to complete a championship playoff run this week on top of the regular season title they clinched more than a month ago. The Rangers completed the regular portion of their season with an impressive 28-1-1 record which saw them finish 13 points clear of their nearest rivals, the Ottawa Sting. The team also competed in a trio of tournaments in Pickering, Kingston and Mississauga. They won the Pickering tournament 2-1 in overtime back in November, but lost in a shootout in the Kingston final. In Mississauga they lost semi-finals. As of press time, they had won all three of their round robin playoff games along with their semi-final to earn a berth in the championship game on Wednesday. All told, they have won 46 games against just three losses in all competitions. One more win will give them the Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) playoff title. Their only regular season loss came against the Ottawa Valley Silver Seven in their second game, way back on Oct. 4. Coincidentally, their only tie came against the same team five days later. Since then they have won 28
straight regular season and playoff games bolstered by a high-powered offence and a stingy defence. They’ve averaged nearly five goals a game while giving up less than two goals per game. The team’s goaltending tandem of Tristan Hodgson and Luca Carlucci have posted seven shutouts between them. The remarkable thing about the Rangers record is the fact that prior to the start of the season, none of them had played an organized game of hockey in more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Head coach Tony Carbonette says the secret to the team’s success, especially during the first few weeks of the season was preparation both in terms of practices and in being able to quickly assess their strengths and weaknesses. Fortunately, they had more of the former than the latter. “We have a really deep group of talented forwards on all three lines, plus we have six big defencemen who like to get involved in the offence,” says Carbonette. That wealth of talent also made them extremely effective on both the power play and the penalty kill. The power play is scoring at a 35-40 per cent clip, while the penalty killing unit is operating at 95 per cent efficiency.
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The Gloucester Rangers U15 ‘AA’ team are the newly crowned HEO league champions. DEREK HODGSON PHOTOGRAPHY The Rangers’ balance on offence is evident by the fact that all but one of the players has scored at least one goal and five different players have scored in double figures. Daniel McDowell, is leading the team with 37 goals and 24 assists, while his linemate, Dylan Turcotte, has scored 21 goals and
added 39 assists, mostly to McDowell. Colby Hunter and Tony Imerti have 15 and 12 goals respectively. As of Sunday, the Rangers were the number one ranked U15 ‘AA’ team in the province according to the myhockeyrankings.com website.
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14 • April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24
CAPITAL CAPITAL ARTISTIC SWIMMING Spring 2022 Recreational Programs Weekly Sessions Programs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
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COMMUNITY BILLBOARD THURSDAY, APRIL 14 JOHN MCALPINE IN CONCERT at 8 p.m. at the Stray Dog Brewing Company, 501 Lacolle Way in the Taylor Creek Business Park. Also test your knowledge of trivia every Wednesday night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. SATURDAY, APRIL 16 EASTER EGG HUNT hosted by Innes Ward city councillor Laura Dudas from 10 a.m. to noon at the Orléans Fruit Farm on St. Joseph Blvd. This celebration of the season will be a wonderful opportunity for the community to get outside, enjoy some spring fun, eggcellent activities, and bunny-full refreshments. Those interested in attending this free event are
encouraged to RSVP to Laura. Dudas@Ottawa.ca, but it is not required. THURSDAY, APRIL 20 STAGE 2 EAST LRT INFORMATION SESSION – This online event will begin at 7 p.m. and will provide information about the next steps of construction on the east extension. For details contact your local city councillor. SATURDAY, APRIL 23 SPAGHETTI DINNER FUNDRAISER hosted by the 1st Cumberland Scouting Group in the Lions Maple Hall 2552 Old Montreal Road in Cumberland Village. Tickets are available at the door (cash or e-transfer): adults $15, seniors
IN MEMORIAM
$12, youth (4-12) $8. The dinner includes spaghetti with home-made sauce, salad, garlic bread, dessert and a drink. SUNDAY, APRIL 24 THE ORIGINAL NAVAN MARKET from 10am to 3pm at the Navan Fair Grounds. More than 160 vendors and artisans will be on site along with 10 young entrepreneurs. APRIL 23 to MAY 8 FIBRE FLING ART SHOW AND SALE is online again from April 23 to May 8. Visit www.fibre-fling.ca to enjoy beautiful textile and mixed media works created by Ottawa’s own “Out of the Box” artists while helping to raise funds for the Ottawa Food Bank.
Rita Ouellette (née Sigouin), 92 Passed away on April 8, 2022 Réal Lachapelle, 83 Passed away on April 1, 2022 David Anthony Smith, 78 Passed away on March 24, 2022
www.heritagefh.ca/obituaries
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www.modernemaison.ca 16 • April 14, 2022 • Volume 36, No. 24